Remember to vote on Nov. 3

Remember to vote on Nov. 3

T O W N S H I P C A L E N D A R 2 0 1 5 – 2 0 1 6

Township offices are closed on the following dates: October 12 Columbus Day Trash pick-up on REGULAR SCHEDULENovember 26 and 27 Thanksgiving Thursday and Friday trash pick-ups delayed one dayDecember 25 Christmas Friday trash pick-ups delayed to SaturdayJanuary 1, 2016 New Year’s Day Friday trash pick-ups delayed to SaturdayJanuary 18 M.L. King, Jr. Day Trash pick-up on REGULAR SCHEDULEFebruary 15 Presidents’ Day Trash pick-up on REGULAR SCHEDULE

Trustees Meetings Trustees Meetings are held twice a month in the Township Government Center:First Monday – Workshop Meeting at 5:30 p.m.; General Session at 7 p.m.Third Thursday – Workshop Meeting at 10 a.m.; General Session at 12 p.m.All meetings except executive sessions are open to the public, and citizens are welcome to attend.

I N T H I S I S S U E

Continued on page 3

P u b l i s h e d f o r t h e R e s i d e n t s o f H a r r i s o n T o w n s h i p , F a l l 2 0 1 5 , V o l u m e 2 6 , I s s u e 2

3 5

Annual Northridge

Parade rerouted

Leaf pickup service

schedule

Beggars’ Night

set

8

The Harrison Township road and bridge levy pays for services that every resi-dent depends on. Motor-ists count on hazard-free roadways and safe bridges every time they drive, but especially after a wind or snow storm. Homeowners appreciate storm drainage that works properly and curbside leaf pickup and disposal. Parents need to be confident that school buses

Road and bridge levy pays for vital services Voters to decide on levy renewal November 3 – NO TAX INCREASE

can travel safely. Everyone needs the security of know-ing an emergency vehicle can reach them, if needed.

“Services Department crews work through the snowy nights to clear roads for morning commuters and school buses,” said Township Administra-tor Kris McClintick. “And they’re among the first to respond when roads need

to be cleared of fallen trees and limbs after a storm.”

Here is a list of services funded by the road and bridge levy:

• Street resurfacing

• Street repair

• Snow and ice removal

• Leaf pickup

2

Heavy equipment has been part of the landscape in three neighborhoods this summer as Harrison Township makes major im-provements to enhance the safety and appearance of roadways. They all include water main replacements, installation of curb ramps and street resurfacing.

The Meadowdale proj-ect has been completed at a cost of $692,516, which was shared by the state of

Ohio and Harrison Township.

Phase I of the Wood-land Hills project is underway and will be completed in the spring of 2016. The $2,461,990 cost is being paid by the state of Ohio, Montgomery County and Harrison Township. Three additional phases are planned, pending the approval of state funding.

Improvements are also underway in the

Road and bridge levy at work in residential neighborhoods

Arthur plat, with Phase I to be completed this fall. The $1,202,960 cost is being shared by the state and federal governments, Montgomery County and

the Township. Phase II will depend on further state funding.

“Major projects that improve our residential roadways would not be

possible without the partial funding supplied by the Township’s road and bridge levy,” said Township Administrator Kris McClintick. “We depend on it.”

National Night Out in Harrison TownshipThe annual National Night Out is always a fun event with a serious message to criminals: We won’t tolerate crime in our community. This year Harrison Township residents and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office came together on August 8 to send this message loud and clear.

Fire Department wins $116K equipment grant The Department of Homeland Security recently awarded a “preparedness”grant to the Harrison Township Fire Department. The $116,364 award, which required a 10 percent match from the Township, is providing 40 sets of new fire gear, flashlights, a thermal imaging camera and other equipment used in fighting fires.

Local governments receive preparedness grants to strengthen America’s ability to prevent, protect against,

respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies.

“The Fire Department aggressively pursues funding opportunities that align with our priorities and allow us to stretch our budget dollars,” said Fire Chief Mark Lynch. “It doesn’t come close to covering the revenue shortfall the Township has experienced in recent years, but every little bit helps.”

3

Mark your calendar for October 18, and plan to bring the whole family to the 49th Annual Northridge homecoming celebration. Here are the details:

9 a.m. – noon: New car show, hosted by Ohio Cruisers Car Club at Esther Dennis Middle School, 5120 N. Dixie Dr. There is a $10 registration fee.

10 a.m.: Flea market at Esther Dennis Middle School

2 p.m.: Parade - Due to construction, the parade route is reversed from pre-

New route for 49th Annual Northridge paradevious years. All entries will line up at the North Plaza Shopping Center parking lot and proceed NORTH onto North Dixie Drive, passing Esther Dennis School and ending up the hill, at the school exit.

Although there is no fee to participate in the flea market and parade, entry forms must be submitted to a committee member.

For further information, entry forms and parade rules, please contact Mar-gie Lairson at 277-7488 or margie25jl@gmail.com. Timber Lane Learning Center Kindergarten float in the 2014 parade.

Road and bridge levy – continued from Page 1

Like many local govern-ments in Ohio, Har-rison Township has lost significant revenue over the last five years due to property valuations and funding cuts by the State of Ohio. To continue providing the services needed to keep roads and bridges safe and passable, the Town-ship has worked hard to supplement revenues and cut costs:

• Street cleaning

• Drainage system maintenance

• Storm drainage cleanup

• Maintenance of traffic and street signs

The road levy contributes $932,000 – or 75 percent – of the budget needed to maintain the Township’s 90 miles of residential streets. The remainder comes from State funding and other local sources.

The road and bridge levy renewal is on the November 3 ballot

The current levy expires at the end of this year, and so the Trustees have placed on the November 3 ballot a five-year renewal of the existing levy of 3.62 mills – WITH NO INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE.

If approved, the levy would begin January 1, 2016.

Township officials have aggressively pursued grants for roadway proj-ects, street resurfacing and utility infrastructure im-provements. Since 2010, the Township has won $2 million to supplement local funds for infrastruc-ture projects.

Services Department em-ployees who have retired or resigned have not been replaced. Instead those duties are being absorbed by others.

Township takes cost-saving measures

“These measures help, but they won’t make up for all the revenues we’ve lost,” said Mc-Clintick. “This is why the renewal of the five-year road and bridge levy is so important.”

If you have questions about the levy, please contact Services Director David Whitehair at 274-6871 or Kris McClintick at 890-5611.

4

Administrator speaks before Ohio Senate Harrison Town-

ship Administra-tor Kris McClint-ick and Trustees Ron Casey and Georgeann Godsey (middle of photo) joined other mem-bers of the Ohio Township Associa-tion in testifying before the Ohio Senate, encour-aging them not to phase out the tangible personal property tax.

Harrison Township Admin-istrator Kris McClintick was one of several local govern-ment officials who testified on May 20 before the Ways and Means Committee of the Ohio Senate in opposi-tion to the phase-out of the tangible personal property tax. Legislators were con-sidering the elimination of the tax, which has for years helped to fund Township services.

The phase-out will cause Harrison Township to lose an additional $400,000 from the annual budgets of the police, fire and road services – on top of the

$3.5 million already lost since 2011 as a result of the property value reductions.

Despite local of-ficials’ efforts, State legislators approved the elimination of the tax.

“We made our voice heard at the State-house,” McClintick said. “Legislators need to understand the effects of their actions on local governments and the citizens of our state.”

Properties with overgrown grass and weeds represent a large percentage of the property maintenance violations issued in Harrison Township. Once a violation is spotted by a Township inspector, the property owner is given adequate time to mow. If this fails, the Township steps in to eliminate the nuisance, and the cost of mowing is added to the owner’s property tax bill.

In the past, Township crews have done the work, but in preparation for summer 2015, the Trustees decided

Township saves with new weed abatement system

to seek bids for an outside contractor to do the work.

According to Township Administrator Kris McClintick, the results have been outstanding. “It has allowed us to double the number of properties mowed and save $50,000 in the process.”

Final program statistics will be available after October.

The Fire Department will be testing fire hydrants throughout Harrison Township this fall to ensure they are working properly. See the information below for the testing schedule in your area.

The process frequently stirs up sediment in the water lines and may cause a temporary, rusty discolor-ation of the water, which can stain fabrics.

If you’re doing laundry during the testing period in your neighborhood, be sure to check your water before washing clothes. After testing has been completed in your area, let sink water run until the discoloration

Fire Department to test hydrantsis gone. Once the water is running clear, it’s safe to do laundry.

Please contact the Harrison Township Fire Department at 274-4351 with questions.

Hydrant testing dates

October 19- 25East: N. Dixie Drive/

Keenan Avenue South to Embury

Park and east to the Harrison Township / Dayton line

West: Turner Road/ Philadelphia Drive

Turner Road south to township line and Philadelphia west to township line

October 26 - November 1East: N. Dixie Drive/

Needmore Road N. Dixie Drive south

to Keenan Avenue and Needmore Road east to township line

West: Philadelphia Drive/Riverside Drive

Shoup Mill Road south to township line

November 2- 8East: N. Dixie Drive/

Needmore Road N. Dixie Drive north

to Stop Eight and Frederick Pike east to township line

West: All streets north of Shoup Mill and Turner Roads to Westbrook Road

5

Among the many services made possible through the road and bridge levy is leaf pickup, which will be provided twice this fall, be-tween Oct. 19 and Dec. 31.

The schedule is organized by leaf pickup zones. To find your zone, refer to

Week of Week ofZone 1 October 19 November 30

Zone 2 October 19 December 7

Zone 3 October 26 December 14

Zone 4 November 2 December 21

Zone 5 November 9 December 28

Zone 6 November 16 December 28

Leaf pick-up service starts Oct. 19the map on this page or find it on the Harrison Township website (www.harrisontownship.org). From the home page, click on the “2015 Leaf Pickup Schedule” and then look up your street name.

Keep this schedule in a handy place throughout the season. Also, please remember these guidelines:

Pile your leaves curbside by 7:30 a.m. on Monday of your scheduled week.

Avoid piling your leaves around parked vehicles, trees, poles, signs, culverts and ditches.

Don’t mix any other wastes – such as brush, tree limbs, garbage, grass clippings and animal wastes – with your leaves.

You may also put your leaves in trash bags of your choice and leave them out for pickup on your regular trash collection day.

If you have questions about leaf pickup, please contact the Services Department at 274-6871.

It was a day made for fun, food and friends when the Fort McKinley neighbor-hood got together for a block party this summer. Organized and sponsored by the Fort McKinley United Methodist Church, the annual event featured something special for every one of the 400 people in attendance.

Fort McKinley block party a BIG success

The organizers were pleased to see sheriff’s deputies and Fire Depart-ment personnel eating with and enjoying the company of the neighbors. The Fire Department turned on their hose and invited the kids to play in the water – an unforgettable treat on a hot day.

6

There’s a “good-news” story behind five of the beautiful new homes in the Fort McKinley neighborhood. The builders are young men and women, aged 18 to 24, who are participating in the Dayton area’s YouthBuild program, now in its third year. 

As they learn construc-tion trades and build new homes under the supervi-sion of veteran construc-tion managers and instruc-tors, the students are also building up their prospects for a successful future. In the process, they’re helping to revitalize an older Harrison Township neighborhood.

YouthBuild helps young adults – about 30 to 40 per year – overcome the barriers that have disconnected them from education or career op-portunities. At the heart of the program is addressing personal challenges such as hunger, homelessness and court involvement that derail learning.

Program changes neighborhood, saves livesMore than construction skills

In addition to learning construction, participants are enrolled in the Life Skills School at 1721 N. Main St., where they attend academic courses to earn a high school diploma. And through YouthBuild, they learn critical life skills such as work attendance, appro-priate workplace attire, self-discipline and teamwork. 

Intensive individualized counseling, one of the most important components in helping students overcome attitude and behavior is-sues, is provided by a team of dedicated individuals including Dr. Jerry Farley, who also serves as Youth-Build’s program manager. 

It takes many partners

CountyCorp, Montgom-ery County’s community and economic develop-ment agency, works with local governments to find

empty building lots where dilapidated and aban-doned houses have been demolished. The agency also collaborates with area nonprofits to make the finished homes available to individuals in need of affordable housing.

Fort McKinley’s own New Path and various nonprofit partners offer support by providing necessities such as meals for the students at their job sites, tempo-rary housing for homeless participants and medical and dental services.

Funding for Dayton’s YouthBuild program comes through a three-year, $1 million U.S. Department of Labor grant, which is managed by CountyCorp.

“Most graduates will pursue careers in areas other than construction,” said Adam Blake, County-Corp’s vice president of housing. “Construction is the vehicle by which the students learn to become employable.” 

Harrison Township Trustees named Kristofer McClintick as the new Township ad-ministrator in April. In this role, he is responsible for the day-to-day operations of township government

Trustees appoint new Township administratorand carrying out the policies of the trustees.

McClintick served as as-sistant township admin-istrator from 2011, and before that, as development director from 2003 to 2011.

He began his career with the Township as assistant development director in 2000.

“Kris’ experience and excellent performance as acting township adminis-

trator convinced us that he’s the best person to lead the staff and help the Trustees shape the future of our community,” said Township Trustee President Ron Casey.

7

Phase II of North Dixie improvements beginsIf your driving routes take you along North Dixie, plan to see orange barrels for at least another year. Montgomery County is overseeing a widening proj-

ect that stretches between Needmore and Bartley roads. The project, due to be completed in 2016, will include new sidewalks and street lights.

Welcome, new businessesHarrison Township welcomes to our community the following new businesses. When you’re shopping for products and services, please shop local businesses first.

ABRA Auto Body and Glass, 6192 Webster St.

All Drain, 2600 Needmore Rd.

Auto Link, 5115 N. Dixie Dr.

Bellaroc Tire Service, 2551 Needmore Rd.

Car Stereo Max, 3349 Needmore Rd.

Falastin Cuisine, 6192 N. Dixie Dr.

Food for the Soul Sports Bar, 2021 Republic Dr.

Galaxy Graphics, 5312 N. Main St.  

J and G Auto, 4429 N. Dixie Dr.

Joseph Mower Service, 6855 N. Dixie Dr.

KNH Motors and Servicing Center, 5109 N. Dixie Dr.

Mason Roads Restaurant/Catering, 5252 N. Dixie Dr.

Neace Tire, 5505 N. Main St. 

Ohio Auto Loan, 4566 N. Main St.

Prime Global Solutions, 2554 Needmore Rd., Suite C

Sky Sweeping, 2725 Needmore Rd.

Sycamore Christian Center, 6927 N. Main St.

TP Mechanical, 2064 Drill Ave.

The Tint Shop, 5583 N. Dixie Dr.

Valley Transport, 6830 N. Dixie Dr.

World Wide Logistics, 5250 B N. Dixie Dr.

This year’s Fire Preven-tion Week theme, “Hear the Beep Beep Where You Sleep,” is a good reminder to maintain working smoke detectors in your family’s sleeping areas.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, about one-half of all US

Where is your smoke alarm?

home fire deaths occur between 11 p.m.-7 a.m. A working smoke alarm in the home cuts the risk of dying in half.

Also, the change to daylight saving time is a great way to remember to change your smoke alarm batteries.

Trustees were on hand for the ribbon-cutting at TP Mechanical. The event was organized by the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce.

Ribbon-cutting marks company’s expansionA Cincinnati-based company with a growing number of projects in the Dayton area has opened a new office in Harrison Township.

Located at 2064 Drill Ave., TP Mechanical offers com-mercial installation and service of heating, ventila-tion and air conditioning systems; refrigeration; and fire protection systems.

Funds from the federal government, the state of Ohio, Montgomery County and Harrison Township will pay for the improvements.

“The company chose the township because it’s north of downtown Dayton and close to the interstate sys-tem,” said Harrison Town-ship Development Director Jack Kuntz. “They believe we offer an ideal location to quickly reach all of their customers in the region.”

Presorted StandardU.S. Postage

PAIDDayton, OHPermit 644

5945 N. Dixie Drive • Dayton, Ohio 45414

Ron Casey, President

Georgeann Godsey, Vice President

David A. Woods, Trustee

Deborah Merrick, Fiscal Officer

Kristofer McClintick, Township Administrator

Administrative Offices: 890-5611

www.harrisontownship.org

Remember to vote on Nov. 3

Remember to vote on Nov. 3

Here’s the latest news for all trick or treaters and lovers of Halloween happiness: Beggars’ Night will be observed in Harrison Township Saturday, October 31, from 6 - 8 p.m.

Township Trustees Ron Casey and Georgeann Godsey were on hand for the recent ribbon-cutting at the newly dedicated Dayton Rugby Club field, adjacent to Shiloh Park in Harrison Township. The club hosts tournaments against teams from cities such as Chicago, Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Louisville. They also sponsor teams for high school boys and girls. A middle school flag rugby team is being formed now. For more information, visit the club’s website at DaytonRugby.com.

Ready for rugby

A howling good Halloween!

Please let us know if you’d like to receive this newsletter in your email.

Call 890-5611 to get your name on the list.